Fire officials say the evacuation was due to a marker flare, similar to what is used by the military. The flare apparently washed up on to the shore still emitting smoke.The portion of the shoreline blocked off by police stretched from the Duke Kahanamoku statue to the Waikiki Police Substation.

One visitor says the incident left people confused.

"I was sitting here with my son Rick and all of a sudden the police showed up and they carded off the area," said Jerry Anderson of Minnesota. "All I know is that the mass confusion was here. They told us everybody off the beach – everybody off the sidewalks – get across the street."

Another witness recounted the scene after police courted off the area.

"I asked one of the firemen what happened. He said something had washed up. I can't really tell you what it was," said Rick Anderson of Minnesota. "We were talking with some other people and they were telling us at the same time that the Coast Guard was out there searching the ocean earlier."

No one was injured, and no buildings had to be evacuated in the incident.

A hazmat team is on scene to examine and help safely remove the flare.

The blocked off right lane on Kalakaua Avenue reopened around 9:30 p.m.

We're being told by fire officials this is all due to a marker flare... The kind used by the military... The flare apparently washed up on to the shore earlier this evening ... Still emitting smoke! A portion of the shoreline has been blocked off by police-- this stretches from the Duke Statue to the Waikiki Police Substation. We spoke to those caught up in the tense moments tonight... 1:00:33-1:00:45 "I WAS SITTING HERE WITH MY SON RICK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE POLICE SHOWED UP AND THEY CARDED OFF THE AREA. AND ALL I KNOW IS THAT THE MASS CONFUSION WAS HERE THEY TOLD US EVERYBODY OFF THE BEACH, EVERYBODY OFF THE SIDEWALKS, GET ACROSS THE STREET." 59:52-1:00:07 "I ASKED ONE OF THE FIREMEN WHAT HAPPENED HE SAID SOMETHING HAD WASHED UP. I CAN'T REALLY TELL YOU WHAT IT WAS. AND WE WERE TALKING WITH SOME OTHER PEOPLE AND THEY WERE TELLING US AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE COAST GUARD WAS OUT THERE SERACHING THE OCEAN EARLIER." No buildings had to be evacuated in the incident. A hazmat team is on scene to examine and help safely remove the flare. No one was injured. That blocked off lane on Kalakaua Avenue reopened about 30 minutes